Cinephile № 820 “Clemency”

Recommendation: 5/5 Stars, SHOWTIME

Plot: “As she prepares to execute another inmate, Bernadine must confront the psychological and emotional demons her job creates, ultimately connecting her to the man she is sanctioned to kill.” -IMDB

Review: For my 13th film of the 2019 AFI Fest, I focused my attention on a subject I have been wrestling with for quite a while. For much of my life, I have supported the concept of a humane death penalty. In recent years, as I have been introduced to stories about people being wrongly convicted and the systemic racism existing in the criminal justice system, my opinion began to change. As I write this, I do not believe the state should be involved in matters of deciding who lives and dies. Above all else, I believe the government should focus its attention on rehabilitation. A film like “Clemency” and its focus on the drama of death row coupled with the weight of putting people to death cemented my belief even further.

Primarily focusing on two individuals, Warden Bernadine Williams (Alfre Woodard) and Anthony Woods (Aldis Hodge), this film asks us to closely inspect the supposed guilt of Anthony while also looking into the life of Bernadine, who at times comes across as emotionally dead inside because of the weight of the work. As we learn more about each of them, we are left to make our decisions. This isn’t a…